US museum returns four ancient Thai sculptures smuggled decades ago
San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum formally repatriates 1,200-year-old bronze Prasaat Phokhon Chai statues to Thailand. The artifacts are due to arrive in Thailand this month.
Culture
Heritage for hire in Delhi? The idea stirs a monumental debate
Concerns arise among heritage enthusiasts who fear damage from large, boisterous events like weddings and disrespect to historical sites.
Take a walk down memory lane with the new pocket guide to Kuala Lumpur’s Sentul Heritage Walk
Released earlier this month, the digital pocket guide was created by volunteers from Sentul Then And Now (STAN), a collective of residents and enthusiasts of Sentul, and is freely…
‘Shui’ (tax) voted Malaysia’s Character of the Year
Han Culture Centre Malaysia president Datuk Goh Hin San said the character was chosen because tax issues affect every level of society, from households and businesses to the…
Woven in wool: A Bhutanese village’s enduring mat tradition
Beyond production, wool mats hold a deep cultural value. Many residents believe wool retains warmth and helps relieve joint or back pain. In Hindu households, the wool mat is also…
Finding community and culture in a bowl of tea in this Chinese county
People in the shop talked, laughed, and encouraged one another as if a bowl of leicha were more than just food — it was a bond that brought them together, offering comfort and a…
Philippines’ ‘dinosaur egg’ salt gets UNESCO protection
The UNESCO inscription recognizes the centuries-old, labor-intensive process behind "asin tibuok," which involves filtering seawater through the ashes of burned coconut husks…
Tradition or animal abuse? Korean bullfighting faces reckoning in parliament
Unlike Spanish bullfighting, in which a human bullfighter takes on a bull, often killing it, Korean bullfighting pits animals against each other until one retreats.
UNESCO recognises Bangladesh’s Tangail saree weaving as intangible cultural heritage
This is Bangladesh’s 6th standalone registration and second in four years, foreign ministry says.
‘Bizarre’ hanbok costumes at Saudi Arabia’s Korea Village spark backlash
Observers say the hanboks bear little resemblance to an authentic hanbok, prompting concerns about misrepresentation.